


Road Trip

by DT_Mars



Category: Teen Titans
Genre: F/M, Road Trips, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 20:17:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2595089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DT_Mars/pseuds/DT_Mars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It was three in the morning when he realized that he knew nothing about her. So, he proposed a trip and they ran away. Just for the summer."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally had this idea for another story, but sadly, I lost all inspiration for it. So, I just gave up. The other day, I was watching the Wendy Williams show (she grows on you) and she mentioned something about the number 3. She said it took her 3 months to tell if she was in love because she fell fast. I thought it was a pretty interesting theory and BOOM! Wendy Williams gave me my groove back. This story is also up on my fanfiction account under the username: D.T. Mars.
> 
> I hope you have as much fun reading this as I had writing it. Which is a lot. -insert preferred brand of creepy breathing here-
> 
> Disclaimer: This is a fan fiction website. -crickets- Haha!

Road Trip

* * *

 

_"It was three in the morning when he realized that he knew nothing about her. So, he proposed a trip and they ran away. Just for the summer."_

* * *

 

It was a hot and sweltering summer night - actually, the first night of summer - when he realized that he knew nothing about her. He was battling insomnia before he decided to take a stroll in the great tower. As much as he enjoyed the air conditioning in his room, he couldn't just lay there and wait for sleep to come. He was beginning to feel antsy. So, he got up and made his way to the kitchen.

He found her sitting at the counter with a book and a large mug placed in front of her. He wasn't surprised. She didn't sleep very well during the summer, either. "Hey," he greeted her.

Her eyes didn't leave the book. "Isn't it past your bedtime, Wonder Boy?"

He smiled. Her sarcasm was one of the things he liked about her. It was charming. "If I'm correct, I'm older than you."

"Only by a month."

His smile grew into an impish grin. She answered a little too quickly. That meant that he was getting better at getting under her skin. "But who's counting?"

He took a water bottle from the refrigerator before he sat across from her. She still didn't look up at him and he took the opportunity to study her. Their team had been together for a while and they had become a quirky, little hodgepodge of a family, but she was still the one person that he knew the least about. It was a little insulting, to be honest, since he knew everything about everyone else. Starfire was a naturally open person and spoke to anyone who would listen; Beastboy felt absolutely no shame in anything he did and Cyborg trusted him. But Raven was a different story.

Although they were the closest of any other pair on the team, he still knew nothing about her. Alright, that wasn't true. He knew what she _wanted_ him to know, which wasn't a lot. Granted, she only knew what he let her know, too, but still. He gave her more than she gave him. After she defeated her father, he thought that she would have started opening up a little. At least, to him. She had been in his head, for goodness' sake. But she didn't - open up, that is. Robin didn't know anything about her.

"Do you want to go on a trip with me?" he suddenly asked.

This time, she actually looked at him. "What?"

She looked pretty confused. The thought of a confused Raven made him smile. It wasn't often that anyone was able to confuse her. "A road trip."

Her face flatlined. "A road trip?" When he nodded, she went back to her book. "Are you sure it isn't past your bedtime?"

He chuckled. He really couldn't blame her for saying that. He hadn't felt this impulsive in a while. He actually hadn't gone through with any of his impulses in a while, either. It was crazy, but the thought of running away with her, even for just a little while, sounded good. "Come on, Rae. It'll be just me and you all summer."

"I'm not sure if I want to spend all of that time with you."

"I want to spend all that time with you." He wasn't lying.

She looked at him again. "Robin, it's three in the morning."

"Even better. The roads will be clear."

"What about the city?"

"The others will be fine without us."

This was beginning to sound ridiculous. "What will we tell them?"

He shrugged. "I'll leave a note."

A _note_? That was the best excuse the protégé of the world's greatest detective could come up with? Nevertheless, she found herself fighting a smile. "This is stupid."

He caught the smile. "I know."

Goodness, she couldn't be considering this idea. "All summer?"

"All summer."

She thought for a moment. She did need a change of scenery. "I'll go pack."

He watched her leave before he went to his own room. As he packed, he remembered her smile and his stomach flipped. That was the moment he should have realized that he was in trouble.

**_._ **

_Rae and I ran away. Be back in three months._

_-Robin_

**_._ **

They decided to go down south. He told her something about "Southern hospitality", and she thought that it was worth giving a try. Driving around with Raven was quiet to say the least. She didn't talk much, unless it was to say something witty or to answer him, but he didn't mind. He would get her to open up soon enough. Hopefully.

His eyes squinted behind his sunglasses and he laughed. The sun was starting to take a toll on his tired eyes. "You've never been to a diner?"

In the passenger's seat, she crossed her arms. She stared at the road. "I was too busy worrying about the end of the world."

When they reached a red light, he looked at her. She sure was doing a good job at ignoring him. Teasing her and basically training that quality wasn't exactly what he wanted to accomplish on this trip. He wanted to learn more about her, not push her away. So, he smiled. "There's one coming up. You'll like it."

She hesitated before she looked at him. "Promise?"

"Promise." She smiled and he felt his heart stop. He ignored it.

"Robin?"

"Yes?"

"The light's green."

_**.** _

"Are diner burgers always that greasy?"

"Where do you think all the flavor comes from?"

"Ew." But she did have to admit - not to him - that it _was_ pretty delicious.

_**.** _

It was around five o'clock and after a bit more driving that he found her dozing off in the passenger's seat. Although she was quiet, he did enjoy her companionship. He didn't want her to sleep just yet. "Rae."

"I'm asleep."

He chuckled. There was that sarcasm. His chuckle faded into a yawn. The high that he got from his adrenaline rush was wearing off.

She was too tired to come up with a witty response to that. So, she snorted. That should make due.

Luckily, he spotted a rundown motel. "Is a motel okay?"

She nodded. So, they rented a one bed bedroom. They were too tired to be embarrassed.

**_._ **

It took about a week and some days before she began revealing some things. It was most likely because he was her only companion, and would be so for the next three months, but he greatly appreciated it. He learned little factoids about her.

He learned that contrary to popular belief, her favorite color was neither blue nor purple nor black. It was green. Green represented the earth that her father threatened to destroy. He learned that she didn't speak as much as others because she thought that small talk was stupid. She preferred to get right to the nitty gritty of things. He learned that she had a rather eclectic taste in music. Her playlists ranged from rock to pop, R&B to doo-wop, and even hip-hop to classical. He even learned that she wanted a piercing.

It was late one night. And hot. Which meant that neither of them was going to sleep anytime soon. He laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling and she sat beside him, reading. Such close contact didn't bother them. After all, they were just friends. Two good friends.

Suddenly, she looked up from her book. "You know what I want?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"A piercing."

If that wasn't random, he didn't know what was. His curiosity got the best of him and he was just happy to hear her talk without him starting the conversation, so he indulged her. "Where?"

She held a spot on the upper cartilage of her ear between her thumb and forefinger. "Right here."

"Why?"

"It looks cool." With that, she went back to her book.

He smiled. His curiosity was definitely piqued.

**_._ **

As the road trip progressed, Robin began to find his friend more and more intriguing. She was talking even more. She even told little jokes and laughed; the sound of it mesmerized him a bit because he was so rarely allowed to ever hear it.

He learned that she was absolutely brilliant. Now, everyone knew that Raven was smart - after all, all she did was read. Her knowledge regarding certain subjects would give even Bruce a run for his money. But, it, _her intelligence_ , went far beyond books, witty repertoires, and fun facts. She was naturally intelligent. She had the type of intelligence that people who studied for countless hours wished for.

He liked smart girls.

**_._ **

After about a week, they moved to another town. They needed a change of scenery after seeing the same thing everyday. Once they dropped their things at the new motel, they went into town and explored a bit before they stopped at a convenience store.

She walked down an aisle with a basket and he followed behind her, picking up anything that she might have forgotten. She was never one to forget anything, so they were good once they reached the cashier.

She was a plump, middle aged woman with a kind face. It was strange that she didn't mention their superhero alter egos. He was good, but Raven did stand out with her purple hair and eyes. Then again, such hair and eye color wasn't so strange nowadays.

She smiled at them. "Well," she said in a distinct and Southern accent. "Don't you two make a lovely couple?"

Raven shook her head. "We're not a couple," she said politely.

He knew that it was true. But, for some reason, he felt a strange _pang_ of disappointment in his chest.

"Such a shame," the woman tutted to herself before she held their bag out with a smile. "Have a nice day."

So, Robin ignored that _pang_ in his chest and he did as she said.

Later on, he found out why their grocery bag was so heavy. Apparently, she had stocked up on different shades of nail polishes. He didn't think that she was even remotely interested in such activities. She was girlier than he thought. Something else that he learned.

She was sitting on the bed, hunched over and painting her toes. Her hair was in a high and messy ponytail with little wisps gracing her face and back. Seeing her do something so womanly unnerved him a bit. It certainly was a sight to behold. But, she was his friend and he shouldn't have been thinking that way.

He cleared his throat. "Raven?"

She didn't look up. "Don't judge me."

**_._ **

It was as the first month flew by that he found himself growing extremely comfortable around her. He stopped trying to be neat around her. He laughed more around her and with her. He went without his sunglasses around her and let her see the orbs and the emotions behind them that he hid from the rest of the world.

That was when he realized that while he was learning more about her, he was allowing her to learn more about him. And he didn't mind. She was easy to talk to and she didn't badger him like he did to her. He just spoke to her and told her whatever was on his mind. He spoke to her as if he had never spoken to anyone else before her. He told her what kept him up at night. He told her about his parents. He told her what made him tick. She listened without any interruptions and he did the same for her.

For the first time in his life, he didn't feel the need to protect his mind. He told her everything. He trusted her.

"Robin?"

They had another one of their late night talks and he could hear the drowsiness in her voice. She was going to fall asleep soon. "Yes?"

"Thanks for being my friend."

He smiled. She was definitely tired. She wouldn't have said anything like that any other way. "Thanks for being mine."

**_._ **

Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Robin knew that Raven liked diners. He wasn't Batman's protégé for no reason. So, when they found another one, one better than that first one, he wasn't surprised that she was eager to try something else.

She handed the menu over to the waiter. "I'll have an omelet, extra cheesy cheese fries, and a soda."

The waiter gave her a look. As if working in the heat wasn't enough. He wasn't about to change the rules up for this girl. "It's four," he said gruffly.

Her eyebrows furrowed involuntarily. Another thing he learned. She was acting more freely and he found it undeniably adorable. For a friend, that is.

"What's your point?" she asked.

The waiter glared at her for a short moment before he rolled his eyes. He seemed to be taking her order down. "Only 'cuz you're cute."

She smiled and Robin couldn't take his eyes off of her. Of course people couldn't help but to like her. No matter what she thought.

**_._ **

He learned that she loved and cared deeply. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, she was a big, old softy. She spoke of her friends so dearly. He was glad that she started speaking more because all he wanted to do was listen and watch as she got this _look_ in her eyes. That look where anyone could just tell that she loved them.

He learned that she was a little playful, even. This side of her was only able to be drawn out by his other teammates. For some reason, when she told him the little stories with a faint smile and short, quiet laughs, he felt something a little too close to jealousy. He learned that she actually thought that Beastboy's jokes were funny. He learned that she didn't find Starfire annoying at all. He learned that she didn't find Cyborg's need for her to be involved in all activities too over zealous. He learned that she only acted cold toward them because she still wasn't used to having people care so much for her.

He wanted to show her just _how much_ he cared.

**_._ **

She was beginning to grow more comfortable around him. Comfortable enough to sing when he was there. She had a nice voice, so he encouraged her.

"Sing it, Rae!"

She jumped and turned around. "I didn't know that you were there."

He didn't respond to that. Instead, he turned the radio's volume up and sang the next verse. His voice wasn't as good as hers, but he still sang, just to try to encourage her to keep going so that he could listen to her some more.

She stood stiff for a few moments. Then, slowly but surely, a smile emerged and she started singing again. In all honesty, Robin had never had so much fun. He definitely didn't think that this fun would come from singing and dancing in a motel room with _Raven_ , of all people. But it did. And he was okay with that.

After their little singalong, he was so spent and she was so embarrassed that they fell into a fit of giggles on the floor of their motel room.

She sighed with a tired smile. "That was fun."

That was when he realized that he didn't want to learn _about_ her anymore. He wanted to learn _her_. He wanted to _know_ her.

**_._ **

Along with learning more about Raven, he also learned more about himself. He learned that he regretted not trying to learn more about her beyond a teammate level. He learned that he loved her smile and laughter. He learned that he would go out of his way for her to do both. He learned that he was happier with her than he was with anyone else. He learned that he liked having her around.

He soon found himself wondering if Bruce and Alfred would like her. Then, he decided: What's not to like?

**_._ **

When the second month came, it was introduced by an intense and uncomfortable heat so hot that he had to settle for a wife beater and basketball shorts. He was waiting for her at the car and he wiped his forehead. When she finally came out, he stopped midwipe.

She was wearing a dress. A white one. It was the only dress that he had ever seen her in, but he was adamant in the fact that she looked good in dresses. Especially, white ones.

He felt himself growing hotter. "Nice dress."

She shrugged as she entered the car. She obviously didn't notice what the sight of her in a dress did to him. "It's hot today."

He nodded and they drove off. They stopped at a bar for drinks because it was so hot - nonalcoholic drinks, of course. They had reputations to uphold even if no one recognized them.

She placed her order and moved to sit on a stool. The hem of her dress rose and slid up to stop right midthigh. She made no move to pull it back down. It was hot, after all. His throat grew dry and he knew that it had nothing to do with the heat. All of a sudden, he wanted to poke out the eyes of every man in that bar. He knew they were looking. Who wouldn't?

A man approached her and he found himself gripping the edge of the counter they sat at. He didn't want to acknowledge the relief he felt when she turned him down. After all, she wasn't his.

**_._ **

As he watched her sleeping beside him one night, he soon realized that he had a dilemma. His plan was working and he was learning more about her. That wasn't the problem. The problem was how comfortable he was with her, how one smile from her brightened his entire day, and how he just wanted to listen to her talk all day. The problem was that he wanted to be the one to draw out that playful side of her that his teammates were able to draw out. The problem was that his happiness depended on hers.

She snorted a bit in her sleep.

He smiled.

The problem was how good he felt with her sleeping beside him. Even if it was strictly platonic. The problem was that he was developing feelings for her.

**_._ **

It was the first week of their second month and they were at a Fourth of July fair. She was wearing another dress. It wasn't white, but it didn't bother him too much.

They approached an apple merchant and he grinned. "Apples for the lady?"

She turned to Robin. "Don't they usually advertise flowers for the lady?"

Robin shook his head and bit back a smile. "Be nice, Raven."

She smirked, and he caught a glimpse of that playful side he was longing to see. His heart stopped. He ignored it.

She turned back to the merchant. "Green apples for the lady."

The merchant's grin widened. "Fine choice," he said before he placed three green apples into her basket. He reached out and took Robin's money with a nod. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"I bet."

Robin poked her back.

"I mean, same here."

When they got far enough from the merchant, she laughed so hard and he laughed right along with her. He never thought that he would ever see her laugh or smile so much before this trip. He loved her laugh. That was when he realized that he was almost afraid to go back to Jump. He might lose her laughter there and only hear it occasionally. He wanted to hear it all the time. So, he was milking it all up as much as he could.

She bumped into a woman and her things fell. "Oh, I'm sor-"

"You're sorry," the woman snapped. "Of course, you are."

Raven's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She was gobsmacked and he was, too. So much for "Southern hospitality". Obviously, this woman was not having a good day.

He stepped in between them. "It was an accident. There's no need to be so angry."

"Oh, isn't that cute?" the woman sneered. "Little boyfriend stepping in for his girl. Why can't you just watch where you're going? This earth doesn't belong to you." She stopped with a look of disgust. "Of course. You've got that stupid _punk_ hair."

They left after that. She was quiet the whole car ride back to the motel. The motel wasn't far, but it sure seemed so. He hated to see her like this. He grew so used to her smile and her laugh. He wanted them both back, but he didn't know what to do. "Raven-"

"Robin, don't." She stepped out of the car before she slammed the door and stalked off.

"Raven, please." He got out of the car and ran after her. He grabbed her arm. "That woman-"

"She was wrong?" She pulled her arm from his grip. "She was just having a bad day? Is that what you were going to say?"

There were tears in her eyes and her voice was wavering. He had never seen her this vulnerable before. She was always strong. She was always the backbone. The sight of her like this didn't sit well with him. He guessed that an open and happy Raven came equipped with an equally open and sad side.

She started pacing and the tears fell. He was suddenly glad that she had control over her emotions now. If it were a few years ago, the parking lot would have been a disaster zone.

"We need to go home," she began frantically. "We should have never left. I can't do anything right. I can't even walk right. I should have just gone along with what my father had planned."

That was when he pulled her in for a hug. It was hot and they were both sweaty, but that hug was necessary. He couldn't have her speaking or thinking like that. So, he hugged her close and she struggled against him for a few moments. Then, a choked sob escaped and her punches turned into shaking hands that fought to hold him close.

That night, she cried herself to sleep in his arms. She muttered things like, "If I don't destroy the world, it's something else. I try to do good. I joined a superhero team. It's _always_ something _else_. It's _always_ something _else_."

He learned that he hated to see her cry. He hated to see anyone cry, but hers broke his heart the most. He learned that he would do anything for her. He learned that he wanted to protect her. As tough as Raven tried to act, she still had weaknesses just like everyone else in the world. He wanted to break her defenses down and become that wall to protect her from the world and from herself. He wanted to make her feel wanted. No matter what she claimed other people thought.

The next morning, he woke up and found her sitting cross legged with a solemn look. She was waiting for him to wake up. He didn't want to disappoint her, so he sat up on his forearms. "Good morning."

"Good morning." She hesitated. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

All of a sudden, he wanted to tell her things. He wanted to tell her how important she was to him. He wanted to tell her how happy she made him. He wanted to tell her that she wasn't the abomination that she claimed to be. He wanted to tell her what a beautiful person she was inside and out. He wanted to tell her that even if no one else would appreciate and stand by her,  _he_ would - always.

"Don't be," he said instead. He pulled her back into his arms and kissed the top of her head before they fell asleep.

He took her to a piercing pagoda the next day. He wasn't sure if he condoned the piercing of _her_ skin, in particular, but he remembered how badly she wanted one. He wanted to see her smile again. "You wanted that piercing, right?"

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards and his heart stopped for the umpteenth time during their trip. This time, he didn't ignore it.

Once it was all done, she looked in the mirror and she grinned. All he could think was, " _There it is._ "

She looked at him. "You should get one."

**_._ **

On the third week of their second month, they moved to another town. They went exploring one day and found a little boutique. He learned that she liked dresses and that he liked seeing her in them, so they decided to check it out.

He sat outside of the changing room with one of the helpers before she stepped out. She was wearing another white dress. It was even more beautiful than the other one. He didn't know why he did it, but he stood up.

"How do I look?" she asked as she fixed the dress around her feet.

"You look beautiful in white."

Both of the women's necks snapped up to look at him, but his eyes never left her. That growing blush on her cheeks made him want to emphasize the point of her beauty. He wanted to tell her how the white of the dress complemented the paleness of her skin. He wanted to tell her how much of a goddess she resembled with the hem hovering over her bare feet like that. He wanted to tell her how good she would look walking down an aisle in one of those white dresses. He wanted to _show_ her how much better that dress would look laying in a pile of clothing beside a rocking bed.

"Thank you," she finally croaked out.

He nodded. "You're welcome."

The helper looked between the two of them. "She's _getting_ that dress!" she exclaimed before she ran out to check the price.

**_._ **

He couldn't sleep for a few nights. Not because of the heat, but because of that piercing she made him get. In the back of his mind, he knew that she didn't _make_ him do anything. He did it of his own volition because he wanted to make her happy. Because now, he would do anything just to see her smile. That was when he realized that he was falling in love with her.

It was one of those hot and stuffy nights again. One of those nights where you wouldn't be comfortable no matter what when he found her sitting up on the bed and hunched over her toes. She was going to paint her nails again.

She glanced at him. "What's your problem?"

He started. "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting weird. Weirder than usual."

He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. Of course she could tell that something was up - she was a genius. But he really didn't want to talk about that. He would much rather watch her paint her toes. It was strangely erotic.

He sat in front of her, careful not to shake the bed. "What color are you doing?" he asked instead.

She gave him a look and he thought that she was about to inquire a bit more. Then, she looked down at her bundle of nail polishes and his heart stopped because he knew that she would never force him to tell her anything. She knew when to give him space.

He felt himself falling a little deeper.

She took an icy blue color and held it right next to his face. "It matches your eyes," she said before she started painting.

He liked that answer.

**_._ **

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Little old lady."

"'Little old lady' who?"

"Why, Robin. I didn't know that you could yodel."

"That was horrible." Still, he laughed right along with her.

**_._ **

On the third week of their second month, he got into a bar fight. Not because of her, but because of his feelings for her.

It was another hot day and they went into the building for shade and drinks - once again, nonalcoholic. They decided to stay for a while longer because the music and entertainment was good. That was when he learned that the real and carefree Raven who was hidden from everyone else liked to dance.

When the band started playing a particularly good song, she got up from her stool to stand in front of him and held her hands out. "Dance with me," she beckoned with a laugh.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, go ahead." He would much rather watch her, anyway. But he never counted on his decision not to dance with her becoming one of his worst.

She rolled her eyes and set off for the dance floor. Pretty soon, a man stepped up to dance with her. That was when he finally got to see her playful side come out to have some fun. A little smirk played at her lips as she danced with the man. He said something. She shook her head before she twirled around and did a little something with her hips. It was borderline teasing.

He ground his teeth at the sight. How could someone she didn't even know get that to come out? But she wasn't his. So, he had no right to get angry.

He looked away for a minute. He couldn't look at them anymore. But he had to look at _her_. He looked back to them and found them dancing even closer. He stood up and his fingers twitched a bit. She wasn't his.

There was a twinkle in her eyes and the man touched her waist. That was when he decided that Raven had done enough dancing for the day. He stalked up to them and took her arm. "We have to go."

She raised a brow as she swayed. "Why?"

The man stepped up to him. "Yeah, why? Can't you see we're having fun-"

Robin retracted his fist and ignored the gasps that circulated as the man fell. Okay, it wasn't really a bar fight if your opponent got knocked out with one punch. He looked at his fist. At 19 years old, he shouldn't have lost control like that. Especially, not over something so juvenile.

Apparently, Raven thought the same. She wrenched her arm from his grip. "What was that for?"

He was surprised that he stood firm under her fierce glare. "He was a jerk. Let's go."

She gave him a look and her glare hardened. He was definitely glad that she had control over her powers now. "He's not the jerk here." She looked at the man on the ground and shook her head before she left the bar.

The car ride back to the motel was quiet. It seemed like all of his hard work of getting her to talk to him and open up was a waste. But, if he was to be honest, he was glad that she wasn't talking. He was afraid of what she would say. Or do.

She was out of the car before he even parked. He sighed and shut the machine off before he set out for her. "Raven, wait."

She kept walking. "Are you going to punch me, too?"

This time, her sarcasm hurt. "Raven, I didn't mean to do that."

She stopped and turned around with a scoff. "How can you not mean to punch someone, Robin? Did your fist act of its own volition?"

He ran a hand through his hair roughly. _Technically_ , it _did_ , but she wouldn't accept that answer. They were quiet for a moment before she spoke. "Tell me, Robin. Why did you punch him?"

Because he couldn't stand to see her like that with another man. Because it wasn't fair that he got her to smile like that when he didn't even know her. Because he loved her. "Because he was a jerk." 

She glared at him and he _felt_ her anger. "You are the biggest coward that I have ever had the misfortune to meet." With that, she went into the motel and shut the door behind her.

But he didn't follow. How could he? So, he went back to his car and drove off for the night. Like the coward that she said he was.

At seven in the morning the next day, he finally garnered enough courage to go back to the motel and face her. He walked into their room and found her sitting up on the bed, surrounded by covers. Of course, she had been waiting for him. "Good morning."

She nodded. "Good morning."

He walked up to the bed. He didn't sit - he didn't know if he could be in close contact with her. So, he stood at her bedside. "I'm sorry about last night."

"I forgive you." It wasn't okay, but she forgave him. She tilted her head and watched him before she moved to stand on her knees in front of him so that they were eye level. "Robin, why did you punch that man?"

She had a bit of a knowing look in her eyes. That was when he remembered what a genius she was. He thought that it would be better not to lie to her. "Because I was jealous."

She watched him for a bit and searched his eyes before she spoke. "What do you think this means for us, Robin?"

"That you'll be stuck with me longer than I thought."

"I don't mind." She kissed him and this time, he felt his heart leap.

The next day, before they went into town, he found her staring at him when he got out of the bathroom. "What?"

She crossed her arms. "For Batman's protégé, you're pretty slow."

He frowned. "Girlfriends aren't supposed to insult their boyfriends like that." It felt good to say that and be referring to her.

She laughed and he smiled at the sound. She stood to walk up to him. "It took a random guy dancing with me."

When she took his hands and placed them at her hips, he learned that she could be assertive when she wanted to be. He brought her close. He could do that because now she was his. "At least the story of us getting together isn't boring."

She rolled her eyes before she kissed his cheek. He could do this couple thing.

**_._ **

It was sometime during the final days of their second month that they found a Walmart in their new town and stocked up on different varieties of candies. That was when he learned how much she loved chocolate. That was also when he learned what a tease she could be.

She unwrapped a Hershey bar before she took a bite.

"That's not how you eat it," he said before he stuck a jolly rancher in his mouth. As superheroes, they should have known better than to just pig out on candy. But they were on vacation, so they were fine.

"You, shut up," she said as she continued eating the chocolate.

"I'm just saying," he replied with a shrug. "They separate them into those little pieces for a reason."

She stopped eating to give him a look. There was a faint glint of mischief in her eyes before she broke off a block of the bar. She held it up. "Do you mean these pieces, Robin?"

He nodded with a grin. "Yes, those." He swore that he saw a smirk for a split second. But he dismissed it when she nodded.

"Okay, then. Do I eat it like this, Robin?" She stuck her tongue out and dragged it up the piece of chocolate. She even let out a quiet moan.

His eyes widened and he swallowed the jolly rancher whole. He wanted the playful side of her all to himself, and he got it.

She finally swallowed the piece of chocolate before she slowly licked her fingers. She tilted her head to the side as she watched him. "Is that how I'm supposed to eat it, Robin?"

Of course he nodded. This time, he caught the smirk.

"Do you want me to keep eating the chocolate, Robin? Just to make sure that I'm doing it right?"

"Just to make sure that you're doing it right."

She broke off another piece.

**_._ **

On the first day of their third month, they went into town and found a garage sale. She was intrigued, so she went and he followed behind her.

She picked up a pink vase. "Starfire?"

He laughed. The vase really did favor their friend. "We should get it for her." He smiled when she took his arm and brought it over her shoulder before she puckered her lips up at him. He loved when she did that. He kissed her lips and she slipped from under his arm to inspect another table. "You can't just get a kiss and leave. That's using people, Raven."

She shrugged. "You're my boyfriend now."

His stomach flipped.

"I can use you all I want to."

"Ha. Ha." But he wasn't mad and she knew it.

They continued looking for a bit, each on a different side of the sale. He had finally had enough after about an hour and he set off to find her. After a bit of searching, he finally found her speaking to a woman with the vase in hand.

He stepped up behind her and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

She jumped a bit before she turned to look at him. "You scared me," she said before she turned back around.

He kissed her cheek as an apology. He could do that now because she was his. "You bought it?"

She held the vase up. "I think she'll like it. She likes weird things."

The woman she was speaking to scoffed. "It's not weird. It's different." She stopped and took a look at Robin with a smile. "You two are adorable."

Raven leaned into him a bit. "Thank you."

He smiled and held her closer.

**_._ **

It was another one of those hot and uncomfortable nights where they just couldn't sleep. So, they were having another one of their late night talks. She was laying on the bed and he was on the floor. He had a theory that the floor was always cooler on summer nights. She thought that he was being stupid.

"Do we have any more chocolate?"

"Why? You want to tease me some more?"

Needless to say, this time, their conversation was a bit ridiculous.

She laughed and he heard her sit up on the bed. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy the show."

He did and he knew that she was aware of that fact. That didn't mean that he was admitting anything any time soon. "You ate it all," he said as he stood up.

Her eyes followed him. "And you watched me."

He was about to say something smart, but the words died on his lips when he turned around and faced her. She had that mischievous look on her face again. That was when he learned that she had him wrapped completely around her finger. "You're a tease, you know?"

She watched him as he approached her. "You make it easy," was what she said before she grabbed his face and kissed him.

Another thing he learned about Raven was that she was an amazing kisser. He placed his hands at her hips before he pushed her back. Once they got onto the bed, she wrapped her legs around his hips and he grabbed her thighs appreciatively. He loved her thighs.

She broke the kiss to pull his shirt over his head. "It's too hot for that."

When she got his shirt off and ran a hand down his chest, he sat up on his knees. "For the shirt or something else?"

She gave him a look before she lifted her hips and ground against him. He groaned. She had that playful look on her face again. Goodness, there were just so many layers of her to uncover. And he would be the one to uncover and discover all of them. Just like she did with him.

He kissed her softly and he felt her sigh into the kiss. Oh, he would definitely be the one to uncover the layers. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

She broke the kiss. She pulled her own shirt over her head before she pulled him back down for a kiss. They had never gone this far before. Usually, it was just intense kisses and a bit of exploring, but the emotion behind it all this time was different. He knew what was going to happen. He had been with girls before. But, none of them were her. None of those girls were even _close_ to being like the woman she was.

He pulled away to kiss her neck and she held him close with a breathy moan. This would be special - because he loved her.

On the third week of their third month, she became _his_ and he became _hers_. At first, she was nervous and he could tell from that tentative look in her eyes. But he kissed her to let her know that it was fine, and she nodded and held him close. Their movements were a bit stiff because it was her first time, but that didn't bother him. He would take his time with her and he would make sure that her first was a good experience.

So, he moved slowly and he kissed her everywhere his mouth could reach while he was inside of her. He ran his hands up and down her body with the gentlest of touches. He told her everything that he held back during their trip. He told her how much she meant to him. He told her how happy she made him. He told her how much he loved her. When she threw her head back and called him " _Richard_ " he knew that he had done his job correctly.

The next morning, he woke up and found her still asleep. He was surprised. He thought that she would have been waiting for him like all the other times. He didn't have to wait long because her eyes were fluttering open a few moments later.

They didn't speak, but they looked at each other and he could see the blush rising on her cheeks. So, he held her close and he kissed her to let her know that it was okay. It took them a while to get out of bed that morning.

When they finally got out of bed, they headed to a diner for breakfast. "You're not going to punch anyone, are you?" she asked as she stood at the counter.

He sat on a stool. "Ha."

She grinned before she leaned over the counter to rest her chin in her hand.

He studied her. She had been acting a bit off this morning. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. She was about to answer when her order came in, then she went straight for her cheese fries. Another thing he learned about her was that she loved cheese fries and that people at diners loved her enough to give them to her for breakfast.

He watched her. "Raven, why are you standing?"

The fry in her hand stopped before she bit into it. She hesitated before answering. "I can't sit."

He looked at her feet, then around the diner. There were countless seats available, including one on either side of him. "Why?"

She seemed to be thinking before she ate another fry. "I'm sore."

His eyebrows furrowed before he understood. He knew that she was a virgin, and he made sure that he was extra gentle, but he didn't think that she wouldn't have been able to sit the next day. He definitely didn't think that she would be so calm about it. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She ate a few fries before she answered. Nothing could keep her from her fries. Not even a discussion like this. She shrugged. "Now I know why they call you the Boy Wonder."

When they got back to the motel that night, he sat on the bed and watched her fix her bags. They would be leaving soon. The thought of it made his stomach drop, so he ignored it for the time being. Once she finished fixing her bags, she walked up to him and stood in between his legs.

He held her hips. "Are you still sore?"

She rolled her eyes. She was obviously getting tired of him stressing over this. She would never tell him this, but the reason why she didn't immediately heal it was because she liked the feeling a bit. It felt like he was still inside of her, even when he wasn't. "I'm telling you: that's why they call you the Boy Wonder. Besides, I can heal it later." 

He didn't respond to that. Secretly, he was glad that she didn't heal herself, yet. He wanted to be the one to make her feel better. He slipped his hands under her dress and gripped her inner thighs. Her thighs would be the death of him. When she hissed, he kissed her stomach and lifted her up to place her onto the bed. "Let me take care of you."

**_._ **

He didn't mean to eavesdrop. Honest, he didn't. She was just talking loudly.

_"Friend Raven, please do explain why you and Friend Robin ran away so suddenly."_

"You should ask him that. I think he was bored."

 _"Yes."_ A sigh. _"Friend Cyborg did mention that he was looking quite restless."_

"I bet." In his head, he could see her rolling her eyes. "But, hey. I got you something. I think you'll like it."

A squeal. He could see Raven holding the communicator away.  _"Glorious! I cannot wait to see this present you have gifted me with!"_

There was a pause.

_"Friend Raven. Please, do not take this in any offensive way. But I do believe that this trip was good for you."_

Raven hesitated. "Why do you say that?"

_"You glow. You look... happy."_

There was another pause.

"I am."

Robin smiled.

There was another squeal. He just knew that Raven was tempted to hang up right then and there.  _"Does this mean that you will be initiating the girl talks?"_

"Oh, my goodness. Star-"

_"And that we will finally be speaking on the nights of passionate love?"_

"Starfire, seriously-!"

A gasp. _"Friend Raven. Did you partake in that-"_

"Bye, Starfire."

 _"Wait, wait, wait!"_ A sigh. _"I am happy for you, Friend Raven."_

"Thank you." He could hear the smile in her voice. "See you soon."

_"Yes, I shall see you soon! And please! Do make sure that you are using protection during your moments of passion-!"_

He heard a click before she stuck her head out of the bathroom. There was a faint blush on her cheeks. "Starfire says hi."

**_._ **

It was on their last night that he found her sitting up on the bed looking contemplative. She was a thinker, but she didn't look like she was thinking good thoughts.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She didn't look at him. "I don't want to go back."

She didn't have to clarify. He knew perfectly well that she was talking about her other life in Jump. And it was another life. No one else saw her like this and he didn't want to go back and lose her. The real her. "Me either."

She finally looked at him. She gave him a short smile. "I know."

"Of course, you know. You're a genius." He walked up to her when she laughed. He took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "You'll be fine."

She nodded. "I know."

"Of course you know," he said before he pushed her back onto the bed. She would be fine and he would be there with her, every step of the way. She would never have to hide who she was ever again.

She grabbed his face and kissed him before she flipped them over. "Because I'm a genius."

**_._ **

Their day of departure had finally come and the car ride was quiet, as expected. They both didn't want to go back, but he had a feeling that she dreaded it even more. But he would be with her and he would take every step along with her.

He looked to her when they stopped at a red light. "Are you okay?"

She seemed to hesitate. "What will we tell the others?"

"That we're happy."

"Are you happy?"

"Yes." He was. His heart jumped when she smiled. "Are you?"

"I'd be even happier if I got some cheese fries."

He laughed. "There's a diner up the road."

"Robin?"

"Yes?"

"The light's green." 

**_._ **

They stopped at a gas station a little while later. The worker there was giving them a bit of trouble, but they both didn't mind. They would welcome anything and anyone that kept them from arriving at Jump anytime soon.

He looked at her and she seemed to be thinking. She had been thinking a lot since they left. "It's not healthy to think that much."

"You would know." She smirked at his glare before she sat up on her knees. She leaned over and grabbed his face before she kissed him. "Do you think they'll mind if we arrive a little late?"

He felt her fingers trailing down his chest and her eyes grew half lidded. The gas attendant tapped his window to signify that he was done and she moved to kiss down his neck. Goodness, he would never get enough of her. "Is a motel okay?"

She nodded.

 ** _._**  

When they finally got back to their giant tower, it was three in the morning, so they sneaked in as quietly as they could. They didn't count on their teammates waiting for them in the common room.

Beastboy was the first to speak. "Finally. Cyborg had us wait up for you guys every night. Welcome back. I'm going to sleep." With that, he turned into a falcon and flew to his room.

Starfire flew and hovered next to them excitedly. "Oh, how wonderful! Our friends have returned from their journey! Please! Do tell me how it was. Did you meet new people? Did you try new foods? Did you see new animals? Did you meet anyone famous? Did you-"

Raven, who seemed to sense that their friend wouldn't stop talking any time soon, took a pink vase out. "Surprise."

It worked.

Starfire squealed and took the vase before she hugged her friend. Robin felt his stomach flipped when he saw the smile Raven tried to hold in.

"Good night, dear friends!" Starfire exclaimed before she flew out of the room.

That left them with Cyborg. He didn't look too happy to see them. "You two run away for the whole summer and leave me alone with those two, and all I get is this stupid _note_?"

Raven took the note that he held out. "This is the note you were talking about?"

Robin shrugged. "It did its job."

Cyborg didn't find it funny. He stepped up to Robin and he grabbed his ear. "Matching piercings."

How could he forget about that? Robin gulped. "Now, Cy-"

Cyborg ignored him and chose to smile down at Raven. "Did you have a good time?"

She nodded with her own smile. "Yes, I did."

Cyborg's smile softened before he hugged her. Then, he stepped back and glared at Robin. "We'll talk later." With that, he left the room.

Robin fell into the sofa. Of course he would have to deal with Cyborg's big brother complex as soon as he came in from vacation. "He's going to kill me."

She laughed quietly. "Maybe."

When she settled herself in his lap, he decided that it was worth it. Because he loved her. When he proposed the trip, he didn't think that would happen. He just wanted to learn more about her. Instead, he ended up learning her and knowing her, and she ended up doing the same with him. He ended up falling in love with her. And he was happy. Although he had learned a lot about her, there were still just so many layers of her that were left to uncover. He would happily uncover all of them and discover the rest of her.

He heard her breathing even out. She must have fallen asleep. So, he kissed her cheek before he lifted her up and carried her away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all! I didn't think that I would be posting up a continuation, but I decided to reread through the reviews the other day, and they all made me so happy. :) I'm so happy that you guys liked this story so much! All of your excitement got me all excited. So excited that I decided to do this! Thanks for all of the love; it's really encouraging. I hope that you guys like this finale, and don't hesitate to tell me what you think!

Road Trip - Part II

* * *

_"It was three in the morning when he realized that he knew nothing about her. So, he proposed a trip and they ran away. Just for the summer."_

* * *

It didn't take very long for Robin to get into the habit of watching her.

During their trip, it was easy. Whenever he drove, he could just look over and she would always be sitting in the passenger's seat. With each changing town, they always went about their days together. Most of the time, he didn't even have to look, because he knew that she would be right there. Down south, all they had was each other, and it was absolutely imperative that they stuck together in a strange and unfamiliar place - their entire days consisted of just  _each_   _other_. She was always at his side, and vice versa.

But now, they were back in Jump City.

When they returned, they quickly realized that their little trip spoiled them, offering them the pure luxury of each other's time whenever they pleased. During their journey, they slept when they wanted, woke up when they wanted, left the motels as they pleased, explored their surroundings for as long as they wanted, and so on and so forth. This luxury vanished as soon as they stepped foot through the front door of the giant 'T' at three in the morning on the last day of that summer.

It wasn't the tight schedule that was such a bother, and it wasn't even the villains. They were superheroes. Tight schedules, petty crimes, evil villains, and late nights were to be expected, and were an indisputable part of the job description. The problem itself laid with their teammates.

The two birds loved their teammates, they really did. How could they not? After all, they weren't  _just_  teammates - they were family. Even if Beast Boy's urges to continuously embarrass them always did need to be satisfied, or that girl talks with Starfire were now a mandatory event each night before bed, or even if Cyborg's "man talks" with Robin always left the latter red, sweaty, and shaking. The fact remained that they were a family.

It was just that they were  _always there_.

And this was  _not_  an exaggeration.

It seemed almost impossible for the two lovers to get one moment alone, even in a tower so huge and with so many empty, unused rooms. Some days, they even had to resort to hiding away in one of their own bedrooms. Family or not, the two never realized just how needy their teammates were until they became a couple.

But Raven didn't mind it. She didn't mind it, at all.

As annoying as her teammates' constant interruptions were, she had to admit that the extra attention she received as a result of said interruptions was nice. He watched her more closely on the battlefield. The glances that he cast toward her during meetings were, at least, a second and a half longer. During breakfast, lunch, and dinner, not  _only_  would she get little looks, but he would always hold her hand under the table, massaging the flesh of her palm and fingers with the tips of his own. And every night, she would fall asleep with those icy, blue eyes looking deep into hers as they spoke until she finally surrendered to the exhaustion that had been collected throughout the day.

Raven couldn't deny that having such a limit on their alone time was beginning to have an affect on her, as well. She liked to watch him, too. Waking up so early in the morning allowed her to study him with no interruptions. She got to see his face as he slept, before anyone else could see him, before he could even see himself in a mirror, and before the stress could settle into those brows of his. She also watched him train. She liked to see him exercise and work those pesky demons out as the sweat that was produced made his hair fall flat for once. Sometimes, she even watched him play video games against the other guys, the pages of her books acting as a bit of a shield for her eyes as she cheered him on in her head.

Not that she would  _ever_  admit  _any_  of this to him.

It wasn't hard, but it was harder than it was during their trip. Little moments, the smallest ones that would have been so easily obtained while they on the road, were now so incredibly cherished.

Even the moments that included him watching her paint her nails.

Thunder clapped, and Raven jumped a bit. She hissed out a short swear as she rushed to pick the bottle of nail polish up. It was too late as the dark color had already spilled and began to pool out into a small puddle that started to stain not only the floor, but her big toe, as well.

She frowned. Rainy days were supposed to be good toe painting days, not  _messy_  toe painting days. Her frown deepened a bit at such childish logic, and she used her powers to gather the fallen nail polish from off of the ground and her skin before it could settle in and leave any marks. Then she dripped the spilled paint back into its bottle and screwed the top on.

That was when she felt it.

Raven looked up, only to see those endlessly bright and blue eyes watching her from his seat at his desk. Her stomach turned a bit. How long had he been watching her? "Are you enjoying the show? I could paint your toes, too, you know."

Robin released a chuckle, and it seemed to be perfectly in tune with the weather right outside of the window. They were hiding out in his room tonight. As  _sad_  as that was. Although, she had to admit that she did like his room much better than her own when it rained. Whether they were speaking or just sitting in silence, the acoustics in there made the raindrops sound sweet and made her feel warm, almost as warm as he did.

"Don't worry. I'll be sure to tell you when to book me for an appointment," he quipped and she snorted. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs before clasping his hands together. "And to answer your question: yes. I am enjoying the show."

A smile slid onto her face. He wasn't lying, and she didn't need her powers to know that. He definitely had a thing with watching her paint her toe nails. She wasn't quite sure if she could call it a fetish, though. Not yet, anyway. "Sorry. I almost stained your floor."

"There's no need to apologize." Very quickly, his eyes flitted down to her feet before flying back to her eyes. "Aren't you going to keep doing your nails?"

Raven sat up, reclining onto the palms of her hands as her smile grew. She didn't feel the need to tell him that she was finished with her toes. After one year and some time later, her theory was finally proven. It was  _totally_  a fetish. "You have a fetish. Are you aware of that?"

A smile of his own grew onto his face. "Yes."

A laugh escaped her and she allowed her fingertips to dance on the floor. Who knew that stubborn Robin, the Titan leader with an unhealthy obsession with Slade, and an even unhealthier and seemingly permanent stick up his narrow behind, was even capable of having such a fetish? Raven certainly wouldn't have even guessed it. Then again, she wouldn't have guessed that he would become her boyfriend after taking up his offer for a road trip, either.

But she did kind of, sort of, definitely have a  _bit_  of an  _inkling_  somewhere down the road.

"You owe me a dance."

Robin blinked at her abrupt declaration, then his brows furrowed just a bit. He leaned forward a bit more as if he had not heard her the first time. "I owe you a dance? How so?"

"You let that guy dance with me at that bar when it should have been you."

It was silent then as they watched each other. Raindrops continued to pelt against the window and another sound of thunder clapped. The room seemed to get a bit foggier, but that may have been just her imagination.

"It should have been me," he finally spoke. His voice was quiet and he seemed to be speaking to himself. "I suppose I do owe you a dance. Don't I?"

With a nod, Raven stood and made her way over to him, waddling just a bit to make sure that her toes wouldn't mess up. Once she reached him, she held a hand out. "Dance with me."

The last time she said that, he replied with a laugh, a shake of his head, and a jolly, old, " _No, go ahead_." After that, she ended up dancing with a random man and he ended up in a bar fight. Well, as much of a bar fight one knock out punch was.

"There's no music."

"We don't need any."

Much to her surprise, he actually took her hand this time. He stood and released her hand in order to grab onto her waist. Then he lifted her up and placed her bare feet flat on top of his own. Before she could complain, he dipped his head toward her. "I wouldn't want your nails to get messed up."

Raven smiled. She did that a lot around him -  _smiling_. She liked it. "I didn't think that you would actually take me up on my offer."

He took her hand back into his and wound his other arm around her. "It's a year late, but I really do owe you a dance, especially after punching that guy in the face. Totally an accident, by the way."

She placed her hand onto his chest and they began to rock, thus beginning their first dance - their first  _real_  dance, because that incident in the motel room didn't count. Raven didn't think much about how their first dance would be, but she figured that there would be  _some_  type of music playing in the background at the very least. However, having him hold her close greatly made up for it. She loved to have him holding her so close. Quite frankly, she always loved to have him close to her, period. His presence was soothing and calming to her soul.

She gave him a look. "How is punching someone straight across the jaw and knocking them out cold with one punch-"

"Quite impressive, I should add-"

"Even  _remotely_  an accident?"

He laughed very softly. "I didn't mean to, Rae. Honestly. I don't know what came over me."

He didn't have to plead his case with her. She knew that he was telling the truth. He really  _didn't_  know what came over him.

But she did.

"I have to tell you something."

"Okay. Shoot."

"I did it on purpose. Dancing with that man, I mean. I did it to get a rise out of you."

To say that Robin looked flabbergasted was a major understatement. " _Excuse_  me? How the hell did you manage to plan something like  _that_?"

Raven rolled her eyes up to the ceiling with a scoff. "I didn't really  _plan_  it. It's just that you're  _supposedly_  the 'impulsive one', but you were being slow.  _Unbearably_  slow. You wouldn't even dance with me. I saw the chance to mess with you, so I took it."

"So, you knew how I felt about you? The whole time?"

She looked away from the ceiling to meet his eyes. There was a smile on his face, and it only served to make both corners of her mouth twitch upward. "Not the whole time. At first, I was confused. I figured that I was just reading you wrong and analyzing things incorrectly."

"Until?"

"Until you told me that I looked beautiful in white."

"You look absolutely stunning in the color white."

Almost immediately, Raven could feel her entire face flare up. Suddenly, she was very glad that the lighting in his room was almost as dim as the lighting in hers, because now, she could feel the atmosphere shifting ever so slightly. She almost looked away, but then he held her a bit closer and spoke quietly, even more quietly than before:

"How do you feel about the color white?"

Her stomach turned not only because of how he was looking at her, but because she was sure that this conversation wasn't  _just_  about the color white. Not anymore. By now, she wasn't even sure if the conversation had ever even truly been about the color in the first place. Finally, she noticed that he had switched her right hand for her left before their dance had begun.

Raven swallowed. It was then that she realized that the rain was their music.

"It's nice," she finally spoke, her voice a bit cracked and as hushed as his own. "I think that it's really nice."

They watched each other as they rocked in the middle of his dark room.  _Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth._  Then his hold on her hand grew a bit firm. It wasn't firm in the sense that he didn't want her to leave, but the kind of firm that sought to reassure her. "Bruce and Al would love to see you in white."

Her heart stuttered. It was obvious by now that they weren't speaking about the color white anymore. Now, the word 'white' stood for something else. Something that she never would have imagined that she would even bother to keep to herself and daydream about, much less speak about with someone else. "Do you think so?"

"I'm positive." As he rocked them and watched her, he grew quiet. Perhaps he was thinking of how strange it was that this was the first time that they had spoken of the 'bar incident' since it happened. He dipped his head toward her to rest his forehead on hers, and she was overcome by the icy blue of his eyes. All of a sudden, her entire world was encompassed and engulfed by  _him_.

"You look beautiful in white," he spoke softly, his breath brushing her lips.

They were visiting that little boutique when he told her that. When she stepped out in her dress, he stood for her. She wasn't sure why he did it, and she wasn't sure if  _he_  even knew why he did it. But she was glad that he did.

"Thank you."

He smiled so sweetly for her then, and she felt her own smile growing as she released a short breath. "How did you know?"

"I'm an empath," she replied. "Remember?"

His jaw dropped and a light bulb seemed to be  _dinging_  incessantly beside his head. Then he choked out a laugh, and the sweet smell of the decaf hazelnut latte that he had been drinking earlier filled her senses. "No duh, you're an empath. That whole trip, I was fully convinced that you were a complete genius. It might have been the heat, but I don't know how I counted your empathy out."

She chuckled a low chuckle. She guessed that much. "Hey, I'm still a genius."

"Trust me. I'm aware of that," he said with a knowing smile. "If you knew how I felt and that I was going to get jealous, did you know that I was going to punch that man?"

She shook her head. "I wasn't anticipating that."

He laughed again and Raven's stomach turned as she watched him, the sweet scent of hazelnut pouring over her and prompting her to lean into him a bit more. He was so handsome, and she had him here all to herself. But she didn't like the thought of having to hide from her teammates just to have this happen. The fact remained that she missed him. Even if she did get to sleep in his arms every night, or received all of his special attentions throughout the day in the midst of their busy schedules and constant interruptions, she missed him. Even now as he was holding her in his arms right this minute, rocking them both back and forth in the middle of his room to the beat of the rain that pelted and ricocheted off of his window, and speaking about the color white, she missed him. She missed him a lot.

"Let's do it again."

"Just tell me when."

If he insisted. "Tonight."

His brows jumped. " _Tonight_?"

She might have sounded crazy, but  _he_  was the one who told her to tell him when. So, she continued. "Tonight. After everyone's fallen asleep."

"Tonight," he repeated with a nod, and their foreheads nudged before he repeated her words cautiously: "After everyone's fallen asleep." He allowed the thought to marinate before he continued with an arched brow. "We went last summer. It's starting to getting cold out."

"You'll keep me warm. Right?"

"Right," he responded with a nod. His response seemed to be more of a reflex than an actual well thought out acceptance of her proposal. But then, the arm around her hugged her close, closer to him, and he placed a kiss onto her forehead. "Tonight. After everyone's fallen asleep."

Raven released a short breath, one that she didn't even know she had been holding, before she rested her head onto his chest. He placed another kiss to the top of her head, and his thumb began to trace itself up and down the fabric of the shirt she wore, his shirt, really. Then he began to hum a tune that seemed to match the rain's tempo.

She shut her eyes, reveling in the closeness and the fact that this closeness was about to be amplified in just a few, short hours. "I'll write the note this time."


End file.
